Citizens United and GOP States File Complaint Against Kamala Harris Over Campaign Funds

Citizens United, alongside 16 Republican-led states, has lodged a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Vice President Kamala Harris improperly assumed control of President Joe Biden's campaign funds after he suspended his reelection bid. The complaint seeks to prevent Harris from utilizing what they term "ill-gotten gains" for the upcoming November 5 election. Following Biden's endorsement of Harris, the Biden campaign rebranded itself as the Harris campaign, granting her access to approximately $96 million in campaign funds accumulated as of June 30. The Trump campaign has also filed a similar complaint, expressing concerns over Harris's plans to attract Biden donors. In response, Harris campaign spokesperson Charles Kretchmer Lutvak dismissed the allegations as baseless, suggesting they are merely a distraction from the Republicans' own challenges. He emphasized that the Democratic campaign remains focused on mobilizing volunteers and engaging voters to secure a victory against Donald Trump and his supporters. The FEC, which is evenly split between Democratic and Republican members, has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the complaint. The conservative group Citizens United is joined by various GOP state parties, including those from Arkansas, Arizona, and Colorado. Following Biden's withdrawal, the Harris campaign reported raising $100 million, with campaign finance records expected by mid-October. Despite the urgency expressed in the complaint, campaign finance experts indicate that a resolution from the FEC may be unlikely before the election, given the agency's slow processing of cases, including those from the 2016 election. Citizens United has called for immediate action to address what they describe as a significant campaign finance violation.